Union Cabinet ratified Stockholm Convention to ban Chemicals

NATIONAL NEWS:

Jagananna Vidya Kanuka – a scheme for School Students launched

• Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Jegan Mohan Reddy launched the scheme Jagananna Vidya Kanuka for school students upto 10^th standard.
• Under this scheme school students will get free supply of uniforms, books, shoes, socks, belts and school bags.
• As many as 42.3 lakh students will be provided with the student kits, costing the government Rs 650 crore.
• At the cost of Rs 1,600, each student kit will contain three pairs of uniform dress, one pair of shoes, two pairs of socks, a belt, one set of textbooks, notebooks and a school bag.

Fact: Governor of Andhra Pradesh: Biswabushan Harichandran

          Capital of Andhra Pradesh: Amaravati

World Cotton Day

• Minister of Textiles Smriti Irani has launched the first ever Brand and Logo for Indian Cotton on Second World Cotton Day through video conferencing.
• India’s premium cotton would be known as ‘Kasturi Cotton’ in the world cotton trade. The Kasturi Cotton brand will represent Whiteness, Brightness, Softness, Purity, Luster, Uniqueness and Indianness.
• The day was inaugurated by the World Trade Organization in Geneva on October 7, 2019. World Cotton Day was initiated by the Group of Cotton-4 countries namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali to the reflect the importance of cotton as a global commodity.

First National Start-Up Awards-2020

• Two Mumbai-based Start-ups were declared winners at the first National Start-Up Awards-2020.
• India is the number third country in the world in the ranking of number of Start-ups.
• Taraltech Solutions Private Limited won the award in the Urban Services category, Wealthy Therapeutics won the award in the Health care category.
• The winners will get cash prizes of five lakh rupees each, along with opportunities to present their solutions to relevant public authorities and corporates, for potential pilot projects and work orders.

Fact: Union Minister of Science and Technology: Dr. Harsh Vardhan

INTERNATIONAL NEWS:

Union Cabinet ratified Stockholm Convention to ban Chemicals

• The Union Cabinet has approved the ratification of seven chemicals listed under Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
• The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty to protect human health and environment from POPs.
• Exposure to POPs can lead to cancer, damage to central and peripheral nervous systems, diseases of immune system, reproductive disorders and interference with normal infant and child development.
• The following are the chemicals banned to manufacture, export, import and usage:

1. Chlordecone, 
2. Hexabromobiphenyl
3. Hexabromodiphenyl ether and Heptabromodiphenylether (Commercial octa-BDE),
4. Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and Pentabromodiphenyl ether (Commercial penta-BDE),
5. Pentachlorobenzene,
6. Hexabromocyclododecane,
7. Hexachlorobutadiene

ECONOMIC NEWS:

India’s GDP to be get contracted – a report by World Bank

• World Bank in its South Asia Economic Focus report said that India’s GDP will get contracted by 9.6% of this fiscal year.
• This analysis said this contraction is due to the national lockdown and the income crunch by households and firms due to the pandemic situation.

Fact: President of World Bank: David R. Malpass

ORBITUARY

The Union Cabinet Minister Ram Vilas Paswan passed away

• The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and the founder of Lok Janshakti Party was passed away on Thursday.
• Paswan, who was considered one of the most prominent Dalit leaders of the country, was instrumental in the implementation of the Mandal Commission report in the 1990s.
• He has won the Lok Sabha elections eight times. He also held the record of winning Hajipur constituency with the highest margin for several years.